Clay has been a part of Emily MacFarland's life since she was a young child. She grew up attending ceramics classes at her local art center, and the sun-filled studio became an influential part of her life. Emily studied ceramics at The Kansas City Art Institute, Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and The University of Wisconsin at River Falls. After the birth of her twins in 2001 she decided to focus her energy on raising a family. This period of time focusing on motherhood, while slowly honing her skills as a potter, shaped the kind of pottery Emily now makes. Emily and her husband live in Des Moines with their three children, two cats, and one dog. She works out of her home studio.

Emily's pottery is bright and cheerful. Her highly decorative pieces use vibrant colors to invoke a lighthearted playfulness. Inspired by the graceful lines found in 19th century architecture, along with a love of repetitive patterns, Emily fuses function with beauty to create work that is useful and brings a sense of joy to our daily activities.